Growth Performance and Cost Benefit of Weaner Rabbits Fed Diet Supplemented with Probiotic in the Tropics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3923/pjn.2015.47.49Keywords:
Economic benefit, feed, growth rate, probiotic, rabbitAbstract
This study investigated the effect of probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on growth rate and evaluated the economic benefit of this supplementation in growing rabbits. Twenty male crossed-bred weaner rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (A, B, C and D) of five rabbits each. Each rabbit served as a replicate. They were fed pelleted grower mash and groups A to C had probiotic supplementation at varied levels of 0.08, 0.12 and 0.16 g/kg of diet, respectively. Group D had no yeast (control). Feed and water were given ad libitum. Daily feed intake was determined and the rabbits were weighed weekly. The study lasted thirteen weeks. Results showed that all the probiotic supplemented groups had higher but not statistically significant (p>0.05) feed intake and significantly (p<0.05) higher weight gain than the control. Cost of experimental diet per kilogram of live weight gain was cheapest (
69.68) in group B (0.12 g yeast/kg diet) than other groups. Group B (0.12 g probiotic/kg of diet) was thus recommended for maximum weight gain and optimum economic benefit in rabbit production.
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